The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, February 10th, that ICAO’s Air Navigation Commission, (ANC), has recommended the introduction of an outright ban on rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries transported as shipments (UN 3480) on passenger aircraft.
     The decision on the ban is to be made by the ICAO Council later this month and could go into effect as early as April 1st, 2016, sources say.

Hart To Heart Of Lithium Cargo

     “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) urges the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to take action on safety recommendations to reduce the likelihood and severity of potential cargo fires and to provide additional time for the crew to safely land a cargo aircraft in the event a fire is detected,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart as NTSB issued new safety recommendations about Lithium Batteries on aircraft this past Tuesday.
     “The NTSB wants shippers to physically separate lithium batteries from other flammable hazardous materials stowed on cargo aircraft and to establish maximum loading density requirements that restrict the quantities of lithium batteries and flammable hazardous materials,” Mr. Hart said.
     These recommendations are the result of the July 28, 2011, investigation into the in-flight fire and crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 991, which went into the sea near Jeju International Airport.
     “Lithium batteries carried as cargo can be a fire and explosion ignition source, a source of fuel to an existing fire, and subjected to overheating that can create an explosive condition,” NTSB said.
     “PHMSA generally cannot issue regulations or enforce requirements for the safe transportation of lithium cells and batteries that are more restrictive than international regulations,” Mr. Hart said.
     “But Congress has given PHMSA authority to do so if it finds credible evidence of a deficiency in the international regulations that has substantially contributed to the start or spread of an on-board fire.
     “The NTSB strongly believes the circumstances and findings in the Asiana Flight 991 accident show the need for new cargo segregation and loading density requirements,” the NTSB Chairman concluded.
     Some industry experts who spoke to FlyingTypers on the condition of anonymity find it both curious and a bit puzzling that IATA has taken a pro-lithium position in light of growing evidence that either severe restriction or the move to completely ban pure Lithium battery shipments is growing daily in the transportation business.
     IATA has been quoted as favoring lithium shipments, insisting regulators should not “penalize high quality manufacturers and fully compliant shippers” but should apply “the full force of the law upon substandard manufacturing and noncompliance with the dangerous goods regulations.”

Rejected Batteries In Circulation

     Rules and regulations notwithstanding, here is a scenario that is a real eye opener.
     A representative of a large battery manufacturer explained to FT that “as many as 30 percent of our batteries manufactured in China do not meet our own stringent product safety criteria and are therefore not approved for release by our quality control.
     “Apparently,” the source said, “there have been cases where the local contractor tasked with disposal of the rejected batteries has sold the batteries—still bearing our genuine manufacturing logo and marks—on the grey market in the Chinese Pearl River Delta, from where they have most likely been shipped elsewhere,” the source concluded.
     While the manufacturer acted in good faith and followed all regulatory requirements, apparently there are batteries in circulation which are not counterfeit but still do not meet the applicable criteria, and which can not be outwardly distinguished from the batteries which met the manufacturer’s criteria.
Jens